A comparative analysis of two milk producing cattle farms

Varga, Noémi – Bertalanné Várallyay, Erika – Salamon, Lajos

The authors studied the production indicators and the veterinary bills of two holstein-frisian milking dairy farms during 2000-2002. The amount of milk sold per cow grew significantly over the years, while calf progeny stagnated. Specific medicinal costs increased year on year. During the period studied, almost half of the medicinal costs per average cow consisted of antibiotics, followed by vitamins, hormones and vaccines, then other preparations such as disinfectants, parasiticides and veterinary implements and finally, the lowest percentage, anti-inflammatories. The ratio of antibiotics and hormones fell, while the cost ratio of preventative remedies, vitamins, minerals and vaccines, rose significantly. The increase in medicine-usage – alongside an unchanged reproductive condition – was accompanied by a substantial growth in specific milk production, a very low death or compulsory slaughter rate and an increase in the medicinal cost per litre of milk produced.

A reduction in the use of antibiotics and their replacement with cheaper, but almost identical preparations is a realistic goal at both farms in the coming years. In this way the medicinal costs per cow can be significantly reduced. The continuous analysis of expenditure and income is important at both sites, in the interests of correcting potential errors and unfavourable occurrences.

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